Geranium plant named ‘Dueimpahopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Dueimpahopi’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and dark pink-colored single flowers.

Botanical denomination: Pelargonium peltatum.

Cultivar designation: ‘Dueimpahopi’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following relatedapplication U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/349,720: Title:Geranium Plant Named ‘Duepamerl’ Applicant: Marga Dümmen

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of IvyGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueimpahopi’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new freely-flowering Ivy Geraniums withattractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Jul. 1, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Pelargoniumpeltatum identified as code number F-16-09, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatumidentified as code number F-23-09, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Dueimpahopi was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross in acontrolled environment in Rheinberg, Germany on Jul. 1, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsat Rheinberg, Germany since Jul. 1, 2004 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dueimpahopi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Dueimpahopi’ as a new cultivar and distinguishit from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Dark pink-colored single flowers.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium are more vigorous than plantsof the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new IvyGeranium and female parent selection differ in flower color as plants ofthe female parent selection have red purple-colored flowers. Plants ofthe new Ivy Geranium are more vigorous and have larger flowers thanplants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Ivy Geranium differs from plants of the cultivarDuepamerl, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/349,720, primarily in flower color. In addition, plants of the newIvy Geranium have single flowers whereas plants of the cultivarDuepamerl have double flowers.

The new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Wico, notpatented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany,plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Wicoin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more vigorous than plants        of the cultivar Wico.    -   2. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium had larger leaves and larger        flowers than plants of the cultivar Wico.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium. The photograph comprises aside perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dueimpahopi’grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Dueimpahopi has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer undercommercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and nighttemperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles.Plants were grown in 10.5 cm containers. Plants were pinched about threeweeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks from planting whenthe photograph and the detailed botanical description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Dueimpahopi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum            identified as code number F-16-09, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum            identified as code number F-23-09, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 20° C.            Winter: About 7 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—Summer: About three weeks at 20° C.            Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit, rounded plant form; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely            branching, about four lateral branches per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Internode length:            About 4.5 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:            About 6.9 cm. Width: About 8.3 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:            Acute. Base: Peltate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:            Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,            upper surface: 137B; zonation pattern, 137A in color and            about 1.5 cm in width; venation, 144A. Developing and fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 144A; venation, 144A.            Petiole: Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Dark pink-colored single flowers            arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage on peduncles.            Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent, flowers not            persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; plants have about            four to six opening and fully open umbels each with about            nine to twelve flowers per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through            summer.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant.        -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 10.8 cm. Height: About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4.9 cm. Depth (height): About            2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 3 cm.            Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: 67D; towards the base, 53B; color becoming            closer to 62A with development. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: 62A; towards the base, 53B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to six arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter: About            1 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.7 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A overlain with 178A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:            About nine. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate.            Anther color: 60A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Crested. Stigma color:            60A to 60B. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: 2D. Ovary            color: Close to 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy    Geraniums.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have been    observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to    about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named‘Dueimpahopi’, as herein illustrated and described.